Northern Ireland make Euro 2016; Republic beat Germany

It was a great night for the Emerald Isle and managers by the name of O'Neill as Northern Ireland clinched a place at Euro 2016 with a 3-1 win over Greece and the Republic of Ireland stunned the world champions Germany, winning 1-0 at Lansdown Road to guarantee a place in the play-offs at the very least.

It is 30 years since Northern Ireland last appeared at a major tournament, the 1986 World Cup, and that was only the third time they had ever graced such a stage. Next year will see their debut at the European Championships.

If they can avoid defeat against Finland on Sunday then the Ulstermen will even top their group, some achievement for a side that features few stars.

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Only five of the starting XI against Greece ply their trade in the Premier League, and most of those in its lower reaches. The rest come from the Scottish Premiership and the Championship.

In 2012, seven months after Michael O'Neill took over, Northern Ireland were ranked 129th in the Fifa rankings. They are now up to 35th.

"To put the achievement into a recent historical context, it was only two years ago that they lost successive games 3-2 to Luxembourg – only that country's fourth international win – and 2-0 in Azerbaijan," says Phil McNulty of the BBC.

"He can now be bracketed with the great managers of this small, proud sporting country as it prepares for Euro 2016."

Northern Ireland's progress has provided "one of the most uplifting stories of recent times", says John Percy of the Daily Telegraph.

"It was a night that will never be forgotten by the 11,700 people inside Windsor Park, possibly beating those famous victories over England and Spain, and erasing all those bitter memories of near misses and humiliations."

South of the border there was an equally improbable fairy story unfolding as Martin O'Neill's Republic of Ireland stunned the world champions, Germany, in Dublin.

This was another David vs Goliath encounter, with the likes of Stephen Ward, reserve left back at Burnley, facing a German team featuring eight players with experience of a World Cup final.

But Shane Long's second half goal, which came direct from a goal kick, proved the difference as the Republic held on beat the World Champions 1-0.

"For one night only, it was just like it used to be. The streets around the Aviva Stadium shook, there was resilience and passion in abundance and, when it really mattered, there was a long-ball goal, which conjured memories of Jack Charlton," says The Times.

Ireland are not there yet, "but if they cannot take inspiration from this astonishing victory, they never will".

They travel to Poland on Sunday knowing that victory will earn them a ticket to France, and could even see them top the group. A draw could also see them home as the best of the third place finishers.